LLU School of Dentistry - Dentalgram, August 2000

Donna Minder remembered


Donna Minder

Donna Minder, who served as adminstrative secretary to the International Dentist Program for 15 years, recently suffered a setback in her fight against cancer. She was hospitalized on July 28, for an infection. She passed away on Wednesday evening, August 2. We take comfort in knowing that she passed peacefully in her sleep with her family by her side.

A memorial service was held on Tuesday, August 8, at 11:00 a.m. in the Loma Linda University Church Chapel. Scripture (Ecclesiastes 3:1-2; Isaiah 43:2-3) and prayer were offered by Dr. John Whittaker, professor of restorative dentistry. Tributes in Donna's memory were given by Bruce Pence, DDS, director of IDP; Mary Hartwell, LLUSD clinics manager; and Donna's grandchildren. Louis Venden, PhD, professor of religion and former pastor of University Church, gave the meditation and prayer.


Mary Hartwell	Dr. Bruce Pence

We will deeply miss Donna, as she was the shining light of IDP. She was a very special person and our dearest friend. Our thoughts and prayers are with her husband and family.


Donna's grandchildren pay respects.	Dr. Louis Venden

Life Sketch of Donna E. Wilson Minder
by her brother-in-law, Dr. Warren Minder

On October 2, 1933, Donna E. Wilson was born the third child of Agnes Snipes Wilson and Ulysses Grant Wilson, both deceased. They lived in Gridley, California, where her father worked in the construction trades. Her brother, Norman Wilson, who now resides in Redding, California, was six years old and her sister Corinne Wilson Sage, of Portland, Oregon was three years old.

When Donna was born, her mom and dad were discussing a middle name for their new child. They wanted a name that started with an E. The doctor told them if they did not get a name to go with the "E" right away, he would supply one and put it on the birth certificate himself. The doctor chose a middle name. Donna did not know her middle name until later in life when she inspected her birth certificate. Not liking the name the doctor chose for her she told her mom she would only use the E. Her independent nature still influences us today, as we use only the middle initial she accepted as the name she wanted.

On Donna's birthday, October 2, 1935, Marlene Wilson Wade of Jackson, California was born to the Wilson household. Donna's Mom told her that the new baby was her birthday present. This made a marked impression on the two-year-old. She cared for her sister and as they grew older Donna continued to remind Molly that she was her birthday present, hence, belonged to her and had to do what she wanted her to do. Little Molly believed this and obeyed and loved her older sister. As they grew older they continued to be close friends with a special relationship cemented and celebrated by having the same birthdays.

Donna attended several Adventist elementary schools during those post depression years, graduating from the eighth grade at Fairoaks elementary school near Sacramento, California. Her high school years were spent at Columbia Academy in Washington where she graduated in 1951. During her senior year she started dating Wallace Minder. The relationship grew to the point that during her freshman year at Walla Walla College she accepted his proposal for marriage and started planning for the July 6, 1952 wedding day. Being acquainted with Wally posed some hazards for her. Since he was a twin, another person looking much the same seemed to be around quite often. The first of several embarrassing and frustrating experiences for her was when she was being courted by Wally and attended an outing in Oregon. While swimming, Donna, with amorous intentions, jumped into the pool into Wally's arms, she thought. I quickly dropped her and identified myself. Other frustrating experiences included getting used to a person who spoke in half sentences and then expected her to understand what he meant. In spite of these oddities, she married Wally and accepted his twin brother as part of her family.

The now-Donna Minder and her new husband set up their home in Portland, Oregon where she worked at the Portland Adventist Sanitarium and Wally worked and attended night school. The Korean War had started and the draft system decided he and I should be in the Army starting in February 1953. After basic training was over Donna joined her husband at Camp Pickett in the summer of 1953, since Wally and I were assigned to help train new army recruits. Donna made a home out of a one-room apartment in a farmhouse near the Army base in Virginia.
Donna was 8 months pregnant when Wally and I were sent to Korea. Donna decided to live with her folks in Eureka, California. The first child born to Donna and Wally was Gerald (Jerry) Minder. He arrived on August 31, 1954 while Wally was in Korea. December 1954 reunited the family, thanks to the Christmas release policy for the Korean servicemen. January 1955 found Donna, Wally and Jerry living in Beaverton, Oregon where Wallace began work to save money for college that fall. Donna wanted to go back to California, so La Sierra College was selected and the family made plans to enroll, September 1955.


Memorial collage

On Jerry's first birthday, August 31, 1955, Donna was caring for her son, who had a fever. It kept rising, so he was rushed to the hospital where they diagnosed polio. The next two long weeks were filled with worry over their hospitalized son. They passed slowly yet with exceptional support from Pastor Lloyd Wyman and the many prayers for Jerry to get well. The fever broke and Jerry began to recover. College was a reality after all and Wally went on to La Sierra to enroll, get a job and find a home for his family. Through Donna's great motherly love and many prayers, Jerry was ready to be moved to California by the end of September and began intensive physical therapy for the partial paralysis in his left arm.

Donna's untiring support of Wally's college education was interrupted by the birth of a daughter, Janice Marlene on June 25, 1956. After Jani was born Donna, dedicated to her family, maintained a rigorous schedule of childcare, work and homemaking. In 1959, after Wally's graduation from college the family moved to Long Beach where his career began in education. Donna drove school bus that first year to help the school and then began working full time at Long Beach Memorial Hospital. After moving to Santa Monica Donna started studies at Santa Monica City College. The secretarial degree she earned helped her obtain a job that required the early morning opening of a stockbroker's office. This provided her afternoon time to be with the children after they got out of school. Another move took them to Lynwood for Wally's work where he was principal of the academy. Donna continued her employment in Santa Monica but the drive and hours took her away from her children so she transferred employment to Firestone Company closer to home.

In July 1969 another career move for Wally brought them back to La Sierra. This was the family's last move, which provided opportunity for Donna to continue her studies at Riverside Community College on a part time basis. Her interest in history and archaeology led her to take many classes in this area of study as well in the area of computers and word processing. Donna went to work at Matich Corporation in Colton until Dr. Grant Macaulay, then principal of La Sierra Academy, convinced her to be his secretary in 1977. After seven years at the Academy she decided that at the change of principals she would continue her denominational employment by accepting the position of secretary for Dr. Lloyd Baum in the International Dentist Program in the Loma Linda University School of Dentistry. Donna worked for this program until her untimely death on August 2, 2000, due to cancer complications.

Donna's avid interest in archaeology and history gave a focus to her many trips into Mexico, beginning in 1962. She achieved her goal of visiting and climbing every pyramid and all the known ruins of the Aztec and Maya cultures in Mexico. During the last 25 years Donna has planned many trips and was able to see many places, including Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Canada, the islands of the Caribbean and most of the states in USA. Her detailed trip planning included historical backgrounds of all the places she would visit. In recent years she developed a love for cruises. She enjoyed several of these, which included trips to Alaska, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central America via the Panama Canal.

The last cruise, from July 3-7, 2000, was a highlight, mainly because three of her grandchildren were able to be with her. Her grandchildren were the lights of her life and she loved to see them as often as possible. They would call her often and she always responded willingly and quickly to help them or do almost anything they would ask of her. They often called her for help on a school project or to take them somewhere like getting a haircut or buy a new pair of shoes for them. She would fix their favorite foods, when they came over to her home. She would listen to each one individually and provide comments to help them in some dilemma. Grandma was a refuge for her grandchildren. Her love of them and their love of her provided her energy over the last couple of years during her health struggles.

Her friends and especially her family will miss Donna. She was close to her son Jerry, a superintendent of construction for Kaufman and Broad, and her loving daughter Janice, manager for a dental office in Highland, California. The grandchildren who idolized her will remember her with love and longing to see her once again in the earth made new. I know Wallace has a void in his heart that will not be filled. His companion of 48 years will be remembered lovingly and with longing for a sure reunion. Two sisters, a brother, husband, two children and 6 grand children, the youngest being 9 days old, survive Donna.

Sleep peacefully, Donna, we will see you again when there is no pain or sorrow, because of our "Blessed Hope."